Acetylene lamp



April 26, w F HUNT ET AL ACETYTIENE LAMP Filed March 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l7 [NVENTO S I A TTORNEYS.

April 26, 1932.

w. F. HUNT ET AL- ACETYLENE LAMP Filed March 9, l93l 2 Sheets-Sheet [NV TORS: 9/

A TTORNEYS,

Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. HUNT, OF NEW BRIGHTON, AND HEBIVIANN C. STELLING, 0F HAWORTH,

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO OXWELI) RAILROAD SERVICE COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION OE DELAWARE.

AOETYLENE LAM]? Original application filed August 10, 1926, Serial No. 128,464; Divided and this application filed March 9,

1931. Serial This application is a division of our copending application, Serial No. 128,4:64, filed August 10, 1926.

This invention relates to self-contained carbide generators and outdoor lamps and particularly to a portable enclosed-flame acetylene lamp that is especially adapted to the use of car inspectors and other railroad employees. However it will be understood that features of the improved generator and lamp are adapted for general use and may be employed separately or in combination with other devices.

Inasmuch as a satisfactory outdoor lamp must be capable of operating properly under all weather conditions, one object of our invention is to provide an outdoor acetylene lamp of sturdy construction, weather-proof, and one in which the flame shall be so enclosed that it will stay lighted in rainy, windy or other adverse weather. In order that it may be suitable for workers under and about railroad equipment and the like it is essential that the lamp shall be low and have a wide base and low center of gravity so that it will not be easily overturned.

In order that the lamp may have varied fields of usefulness we have provided means for projecting light rearwardly as well as from the front. This is done by providing suitable openings in the housing which are closed by either plain or refracting transparent members. Thus for trackwalkers and others working under similar conditions the lamp may be arranged to show red rearwardly, thus serving as a protection to the walker.

Thus it is evident that among the objects of our invention are the provision of a simple, durable, and cheap yet efficient and reliable lamp which shall have means for projecting the light rearwardly as well as forward.

This and other objects of our invention will be evident from the following description having reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a lamp embodying one form of our invention; and

Fig. 2 is a top view, half in section, on the when thus used with colored lens provides a,

line 2-2, of the device shown in Fig. 1, with the handle removed.

As shown in the drawings, a portable lamp embodying this invention comprises an acetylene generator G arranged to supply acetylene to a burner B in a housing L mounted on the front of the generator. The. generator Gr comprises a water chamber or reservoir W, disposed above a carbide or generating chamber C. As shown, the chamber ,60 is desirably formed integral with and depends centrally into an enlarged hollow base A. The generator mechanism, including the means for controlling the flow of water from the water chamber or reservoir W to the carbide or generating chamber C, may be of any conventional form. However we prefer to use the form illustrated in the drawings and described in our application Ser. No. 128,464, previously referred to. Similarly the means, for purifying the generated gas and conducting it to the burner B is illustrated in accordance with the disclosure of that application. The lamp is provided with a handle H consisting of a horizontal group portion N and. sections N and N" secured to the front and the rear sides of the generator and to the horizontal section N. r

The housing L comprises a main parabolic section 54 rigidly mounted on the front of the- 8 generator by bolts 55 and by a shoulder 56" formed by a boss which carries the burner B, and a section 57 hinged at 58 to the main section and latched thereto at the side opposite such hinge. The main section carries a S reflector R back of the burner 13 and a chim ney 59, whereas the hinged section carries a suitable lens or cover glass 60 in a groove 61 back from the forward edge so that the latter forms a shield to protect such lens and to shut; off light thrown laterally. The groove 61 may be designed so that a clear lens and a colored lens may be held in place together in series, as we have found that a clear lens much more satisfactory signalling light than" when a colored lens is used by itself. Other lenses may be mounted on the housing in addition to the front lenses. As shown, lenses 62, either clear or colored, may be inserted in f similar openings 63 in the main section opposite the front lens and at opposite sides of the burner, the walls adjoining such openings being of polished aluminum or otherwise providedwith properly inclined reflecting surfaces at 64 andprojecting rearwardly beyond the lenses, as at 65, to form shields to protect the lenses and render the light emitted therefrom visible only from the rear and not from the side of the lamp. In order to afford a full view of the rear lenses and to avoid obstructing the light therefrom, the generator' may be recessed, or circumferentially grooved opposite them, as at 66. The groove 66 may also serve as a recess for the'thumb and a-finger when the lamp is gripped by the generator instead of by the handle.

A number of the larger parts of the lamp, such as the generator G'including its base and cover, and the housing L are desirably die cast of aluminum or other suitable light non-corrosive metal to reduce the weight and the cost ofconstructing, assembling and-repairing the lamp. As shown, the water reservoir and top section of the generating chamber with their separating partition are die-cast as a hollow body, and the hollow base and carbide receptacle are die-castas a unit.

The'operationof'the lamp will be understood from the foregoing description. Various changesmay be made in the'details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

We claim:

1'. An acetylene lamp comprising an acetylene generator, a housing mounted on the front of'sa'id generator, a burner in said housing and communicating with said generator, said housing beingprovided with rear lightemitting openings on opposite sides of its main axis, the wall of said generator being recessed opposite said openings to avoid obstructing the rearwardly projecting'light.

2. An acetylene lamp comprising an acetylene generator, a housing mounted on the front of the generator, a burner in said housing and communicating with said generator, said housing being provided with oppositely-disposed front and rear light-emitting openings, transparent means closing said openings, said rear openings being provided with reflecting means forwardly of said transparent member for reflecting the light rearwardly therethrough.

3. An acetylene lamp comprising an acetylene generator, a housing mounted on the front of said generator, said housing comprising a body portion and a front section hinged thereto, said body portion being 'provided with a reflector for reflecting the light forwardly and with apertures through which the light may be reflected rearwardly, tubular portions surrounding said apertures the center line of said tubular portions not passtures.

WILLIAM F. HUNT. HER-MANN C. STELLING. 

